Wireless communications circuitry with a triplexer for separating radio-frequency signals in adjacent frequency bands

Abstract

A wireless electronic device may be used to communicate using multiple wireless standards in adjacent frequency bands. The wireless standards may include Wi-Fi® and cellular standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The wireless electronic device may be provided with wireless communications circuitry that handles Wi-Fi® and cellular signals in adjacent frequency bands such as the Wi-Fi® 2.4 GHz frequency band and LTE bands 38 and 40. The wireless communications circuitry may include a triplexer interposed between transceiver circuitry and an antenna. The triplexer may be used to handle radio-frequency signals in adjacent frequency bands by separating the radio-frequency signals into signals associated with each frequency band. The triplexer may include filters that each pass signals in a respective one of the frequency bands between the transceiver circuitry and the antenna.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless electronic device, comprising:
 an antenna; 
 a first transceiver circuit; 
 a second transceiver circuit; and 
 a triplexer coupled to the antenna, wherein the triplexer comprises:
 a first filter configured to pass radio-frequency signals in a first frequency band between the antenna and the first transceiver circuit; 
 a second filter configured to pass radio-frequency signals in a second frequency band between the antenna and the first transceiver circuit; and 
 a third filter configured to pass radio-frequency signals in a third frequency band between the antenna and the second transceiver circuit, wherein the first filter comprises a high pass filter, the second filter comprises a low pass filter, and the third filter comprises a band pass filter. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the first transceiver circuit comprises a cellular transceiver circuit. 
     
     
       3. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the third frequency band is adjacent to the first and second frequency bands, wherein the cellular transceiver circuit comprises a Long-Term Evolution transceiver circuit, and wherein the first filter is configured to pass radio-frequency signals in Long-Term Evolution Band 40. 
     
     
       4. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the second filter is configured to pass radio-frequency signals in Long-Term Evolution Band 38. 
     
     
       5. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the third filter is configured to pass Wi-Fi signals in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. 
     
     
       6. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the second transceiver circuit comprises a Wi-Fi transceiver circuit. 
     
     
       7. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 6  further comprising:
 a diplexer coupled between the triplexer and the antenna, wherein the diplexer is configured to pass radio-frequency signals in at least the first, second, and third frequency bands between the antenna and the triplexer and wherein the diplexer is configured to pass radio-frequency signals in a fourth frequency band between the antenna and the Wi-Fi transceiver. 
 
     
     
       8. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the diplexer comprises:
 a low pass filter configured to pass the radio-frequency signals in at least the first, second, and third frequency bands between the antenna and the triplexer; and 
 a high pass filter configured to pass the radio-frequency signals in the fourth frequency band between the antenna and the Wi-Fi transceiver. 
 
     
     
       9. The wireless electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the third frequency band comprises a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band, wherein the fourth frequency band comprises a 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, wherein the Wi-Fi transceiver is configured to wirelessly communicate in the 2.4 GHz frequency band using the third filter of the triplexer, and wherein the Wi-Fi transceiver is configured to wirelessly communicate in the 5 GHz frequency band using the high pass filter of the diplexer. 
     
     
       10. A method of operating a wireless electronic device having an antenna, the method comprising:
 with a triplexer, passing radio-frequency signals received by the antenna in a first frequency band to a first transceiver circuit; 
 with the triplexer, passing radio-frequency signals received by the antenna in a second frequency band to the first transceiver circuit; 
 with the triplexer, passing radio-frequency signals received by the antenna in a third frequency band to a second transceiver circuit; 
 with a diplexer having first and second filters that are coupled between the antenna and the triplexer, passing radio-frequency signals between the antenna and the triplexer in at least the first, second, and third frequency bands using the first filter; and 
 with the second filter, passing radio-frequency signals in a fourth frequency band between the triplexer and the second transceiver circuit. 
 
     
     
       11. The method defined in  claim 10  wherein the first transceiver circuit comprises a cellular transceiver circuit, the method further comprising:
 with the cellular transceiver circuit, receiving the radio-frequency signals in the first frequency band; and 
 with the cellular transceiver circuit, receiving the radio-frequency signals in the second frequency band. 
 
     
     
       12. The method defined in  claim 11  wherein the second transceiver circuit comprises a Wi-Fi transceiver circuit, the method further comprising:
 with the Wi-Fi transceiver circuit, receiving the radio-frequency signals in the third frequency band. 
 
     
     
       13. The method defined in  claim 10  wherein the triplexer comprises a low pass filter, a band pass filter, and a high pass filter, wherein passing the radio-frequency signals in the first frequency band comprises passing the radio-frequency signals in the first frequency band with the low pass filter, wherein passing the radio-frequency signals in the second frequency band comprises passing the radio-frequency signals in the second frequency band with the high pass filter, and wherein passing the radio-frequency signals in the third frequency band comprises passing the radio-frequency signals in the third frequency band with the band pass filter. 
     
     
       14. Wireless communications circuitry, comprising:
 an antenna; 
 a triplexer, comprising:
 a first filter configured to pass cellular radio-frequency signals in a first frequency band from an antenna to a first triplexer port; 
 a second filter configured to pass cellular radio-frequency signals in a second frequency band from the antenna to a second triplexer port; and 
 a third filter configured to pass Wi-Fi radio-frequency signals in a third frequency band from the antenna to a third triplexer port; 
 
 an additional antenna; and 
 switching circuitry coupled to the antenna via the first and second triplexer ports, the additional antenna, and cellular transceiver circuitry that is coupled to the first and second triplexer ports, wherein the switching circuitry is operable in a first configuration in which the cellular transceiver circuitry is coupled to the antenna and in a second configuration in which the cellular transceiver circuitry is coupled to the additional antenna. 
 
     
     
       15. The wireless communications circuitry defined in  claim 14  further comprising:
 Wi-Fi transceiver circuitry coupled to the third triplexer port. 
 
     
     
       16. The wireless communications circuitry defined in  claim 14  further comprising:
 a diplexer coupled between the triplexer and the antenna, wherein the diplexer is configured to pass radio-frequency signals in at least the first, second and third frequency bands from the antenna to the triplexer and wherein the diplexer is further configured to pass radio-frequency signals in a fourth frequency band from the antenna to the Wi-Fi transceiver circuitry. 
 
     
     
       17. Wireless communications circuitry, comprising:
 an antenna; and 
 a triplexer, comprising:
 a first filter configured to pass cellular radio-frequency signals in a first frequency band from an antenna to a first triplexer port; 
 a second filter configured to pass cellular radio-frequency signals in a second frequency band from the antenna to a second triplexer port; and 
 a third filter configured to pass Wi-Fi radio-frequency signals in a third frequency band from the antenna to a third triplexer port, wherein the first frequency band comprises a first cellular frequency band, the second frequency band comprises a second cellular frequency band, the third frequency band comprises a Wi-Fi frequency band, and the Wi-Fi frequency band is adjacent to the first and second cellular frequency bands.